:: Foreword ::
I remembered that when I watched the episode where Faust hostaged Manta and Yoh was all mad, I couldn't help but wish it was Anna who got hostaged instead, just to see the extent of Yoh's fury. Well, I hope I'll be able to give justice to that in this chapter
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Ren opened his eyes slowly – he could feel that his arm was numb. He was about to shake it off when he realized that something was weighing it down. He slowly turned to his left and found Pirika fast asleep, her head lying comfortably on his shoulder.
His eyes became tender. His finger reached out for the stray wisp of her hair and tucked it carefully behind her ear.
He froze when he heard a snicker. He looked at his right and found Chocolove, Manta, Bason and Ryu watching them with interest.
His cheeks flooded with colors. "How long have you been up?" he hissed.
Ryu grinned. "Long enough to witness what you just did."
Bason's eyes were shining. "Wait till Mistress Jun hears about this."
His eyes widened. "You won't tell her about this!" he hissed.
Just then, Pirika woke up. "Onii-chan?" she called lazily, yawning. She stretched, and her knuckle hit Ren's jaw squarely. She blinked then found her face next to his. Her eyes widened.
"Pervert!!!" She slapped his face soundly then fled.
"I told you he'll get slapped," smirked Chocolove, waving his hand. "Pay up."
"Aaw," sighed Ryu, counting the bills in his wallet.
"You…made a bet on us?" Ren couldn't believe it. "Bason, let's teach them a lesson!" When no one replied, he looked around. "Bason?" He then turned around and saw Bason doing jumping jacks as Tokagero watched, smirking.
"I'm sorry Master Ren! I really thought I'll win the bet and that you'll tell her that you love her already!" apologized the spirit.
"Eh, shut up," cut Ryu's spirit. "You still have a bit more to go." It turned to Ren. "That was our bet. Twenty five thousand jumping jacks."
The Tao slammed his hand on his forehead, then sighed. "Stop that, Bason. You won't lose such bet," he said. "I'll make another one."
Everyone paused to listen.
"Bason will do fifty thousand jumping jacks while Ryu will pay ten times the bet if I don't make Pirika admit that she has a crush on me," he announced.
Chocolove nodded. "Not bad."
Ryu's face faulted. "B-But this is fifty bucks!"
Bason was aghast. "F-Fifty thousand?! Master, I'll lose weight!"
Ren smirked. "Trust me. I can do that within three days." His eyes turned to Pirika's room, then back at them. "Now I better go and find Anna. I can't let anything happen to my future wife."
"Ahem," said Chocolove. "You're not talking about my wife, are you?"
"Hey, cut it out!" said Manta. "Anna is in trouble already. Don't make it a laughing matter!"
Ren picked up his spear and Chocolove ushered his jaguar. Ryu took his power spirit already as well.
"Look after Pirika," said Ren as his fellow shamans walked ahead.
Manta's eyes saddened. "Ren, why do you keep on denying your feelings? And now bet on hers?"
The Tao averted his gaze. "We better go." He started to walk away, but not before hearing the midget's last statement.
"Your heart is calling her name. Why don't you listen to it for once?"
Jeanne tucked the semiconscious Lyserg in bed.
"Are those men gone?" asked the dowser weakly.
"H-Hai." She bit her lip. "T-They are the X-Laws, the ones hunting down the same man you hate."
He gasped.
"The one who engulfed your home in flames…it was Asakura Hao," explained Jeanne. "The spirit of fire. Not all people know that the prince of the Asakura court is a malevolent shaman."
"H-Hao…" Lyserg's fists clenched.
"You better rest," said Jeanne, smoothing his forehead.
"What was that light that emitted from you?" he asked.
Her mouth clamped shut.
"You're no ordinary human," he said. "And…you've finally recovered your memory."
"I…I am the leader of the X Laws." Her eyes shook. "I now remember the past events. Hao came to me and taunted us while we were trying to revive the Gates of Babylon, the gates of infinite nothingness. We want to trap him there so he wouldn't be able to cultivate more furyoku within him that could destroy all of us in the near future."
"Dakedo…Dakedo…he slaughtered almost all my men…and he forced me back into the iron maiden. He then set it into flames. I survived luckily because Marco was able to protect me, but in the process, it endangered his life. He was able to bring me down to Izumo, but he lost his consciousness there. I, on the other hand, was taken by men planning to sell me in a brothel when I escaped. That's when you found me."
The dowser couldn't react.
"You better sleep. The light I emitted is from my power spirit, Shamis. You'll feel better tomorrow because the light's effect is just temporary." She was about to stand up when he clasped her small white hand.
"L-Lyserg?"
"Don't leave. Stay beside me," he pleaded. "I want to wake up with you being the first one I would see."
"L-Lyserg…"
"Please?"
She nodded tearfully.
He smiled and imprisoned her hand with both his hands. He then brought it to his lips before falling asleep.
After a while, Marco entered the room. "It's time for us to go, Mistress Jeanne."
"Yes, Marco." Carefully, she withdrew her hand from Lyserg's and put an envelope in it instead. She bowed and kissed his cheek before getting up. "Let's go," she said.
"I'm home!" said Horo Horo cheerfully as the men and women in their tribe went to him happily.
He turned to Tamao, whose eyes were still shut in fright. "Tamao, we're home already."
She blinked, then let go of his shirt. "Sorry."
He grinned. "Come. I'll introduce you to my parents." He pointed to the old folks coming his way. "My real parents died already, but our neighbors took care of me and Pirika." He jumped down from the snowboard then helped her down.
"Horo Horo, we didn't expect you to return so soon," said the old man. Beside him, the old woman peered at Tamao, who was hiding behind Horo. Her eyes were on the glittering ring in the girl's fingers.
"You told us you'll only return here when you have a wife already," piped another neighbor. "Is she it?"
Horo laughed out loud. "Hey, I was just a kid when I said that!"
"Then why is she wearing a ring?" asked the old woman finally.
Both Horo and Tamao turned to the wedding ring, and their faces heated.
"A-Ah…you see…" Tamao was tongue-tied because of embarrassment.
"OK, you got me!" said Horo, rubbing the back of his head. "She is my future wife, Tamao Tamamura."
"Eh?!" The girl was shocked.
"Congratulations!" said everyone in chorus. The next thing the girl knew, people were shaking her hands happily.
"She's pretty, Horo Horo!"
"Aw, look! She's blushing! She's so shy!"
"That's sweet!"
"I think she needs to rest first," said Horo, pulling her away from the crowd.
"Then you must promise that you'll let us talk with her later," said one of his neighbors.
"Of course!" And with that, he guided her into one of the huts.
"Your room is regularly maintained, Horo Horo, but I'm afraid Pirika's room is still being fixed. I hope you don't mind if you sleep outside," said the old woman. "You may be engaged to be married, but I still believe that a girl and a boy can't sleep in the same room without the blessing of a marriage."
"Hai, okaa-san!" said Horo, saluting. "Tamao, I'll show you around."
She nodded and followed him quickly.
"This is my room," he began. "It's not as beautifully messed up like before when I was still here but…I hope you'll feel right at home." He jumped to the bed and rolled on it happily.
She remained standing on the doorway, looking at him awkwardly. "Horo…"
He paused. "Tamao?"
She looked down. "W-Why…did you tell them that I am your…your…" She blushed profusely. "…wife?"
He sat up. "Oh. I told them that so they would not treat you differently. I want them to treat you as warmly as they do to Pirika."
"Ah…"
"Are you mad at me for doing that?"
She shook her head quickly. "O-Of course not! You just did what you think is best for me."
"OK." Horo then clapped his hands. "Oh yes, I forgot to make you take along a change of clothes!" He went out of the room. "I'll be back."
Tamao sat on the bed and took off her shoes. She laid herself on the sheets and looked up at the ceiling. She raised her hand and looked at the ring on her finger. "Horo Horo's wife…" she murmured, smiling a little. She folded one hand over her ring and turned to her side to sleep.
"I'm-" Horo paused when he saw the girl sleeping soundly already. He grinned and laid the home kimono he took out from Pirika's closet beside her. He then went out of the room and smilingly shut the door quietly.
"We shall now commence the operation," said Faust as he took out his gloves. Anna was still unconscious on the operating table, naked, and wrapped only by a white blanket.
Beside him the skeleton excitedly shook. Faust laughed and patted its bony hand. "Soon, beloved Eliza, soon."
He smoothed the hair of the girl. "You will live in this body, Eliza, then we will be reunited. We will then make those demons pay for tearing us apart." His fists clenched. "They can't take you away from me anymore." His hand suddenly glowed with furyoku, and he dipped his hand into Anna's abdomen. "Kidney is functioning…I also feel her liver."
Anna's face creased when his hand traveled up to her chest. His hand was on her heart.
Faust' eyes lit up with glee. "Such strong heart. I can feel it pulsing rhythmically beneath my fingers. Oh, Eliza, I can't wait!" His hand rose from her body and he assisted Eliza beside Anna. "Now we shall begin the miracle."
"Yoh…"
Faust paused when he heard the whisper.
Anna's eyes were still shut, but her lips were moving oh-so-slightly.
"The operation will soon be over, sweet," the doctor told her. "Now be still, or I might only hurt you."
"Anna!!!"
Faust looked up, displeased that his operation was to be disturbed. A young boy with brown hair and orange walkman was rushing towards him.
"A-Anna…" Yoh froze when he saw the scene. His furious eyes went to Faust. "What did you do to Anna?"
"So Anna is her name…you should be happy, for Anna shall be reborn into a more glorious persona. In her will live my beloved Eliza!" Faust started laughing maniacally.
"Eliza?" He then noticed the skeleton beside the doctor.
"Now bear witness to my Eliza's rebirth." He was about to touch Anna again when a swift wind attack knocked the skeleton down.
Yoh's harusame was glowing. "Let her go," he said, his voice low.
Faust smirked. "Make me."
Yoh launched an attack at once. "Yaaah!!!"
Faust turned to the skeleton. "Eliza!!!"
The skeleton suddenly became a spirit of a female nurse. It blocked Yoh's attack easily.
"Master Yoh!" said Amidamaru.
"We can do this," he said. He pushed harder, making the nurse spirit take a step back. His eyes darted quickly towards Anna.
Faust was hastily working on Anna's body. He felt his heart drop. "Anna!!!"
The doctor looked down at the sleeping girl, whose hand trembled in response.
"Yoh…" It rose barely above a whisper, but it somehow reached Yoh's ears. This made him more determined to attack. His furyoku grew even more, and this time, he was able to knock the nurse away. He rushed towards the operating table. "Anna!!!"
The doctor's eyes widened. "You can't deprive me of my only chance of happiness!" He raised his arms sideward, and skeletons appeared from every inch of land around Yoh. The surrounded him, and suddenly detained him. Faust went back to his operation.
"Stop it!!!" yelled Yoh, struggling to free himself from the skeletons' grasp.
Eliza hurried to the doctor's side and laid herself beside the girl. Faust' hand glowed. He immersed his hand into Anna's body again.
"Don't touch her!!!" yelled the Asakura.
Faust winced, causing his hand to tremble. The girl gasped. The doctor smiled at him insanely. "Don't do that again. I'm a very nervous person, and I'm prone to sudden body jerks and movements…and my hand is on her heart."
"Damn you!!! You'll pay dearly if something happens to her!" he yelled, gathering his furyoku.
Faust shrugged and continued his operation when the skeleton suddenly got up. He frowned. "What is the matter, my pet?"
Eliza shook her head and looked at Anna, then at Yoh.
"Oh Eliza…" murmured the doctor.
"Amidamaru, get ready!" yelled Yoh suddenly.
"Yes, Master Yoh!" He instantly turned into a shield just as the skeletons attacked them simultaneously. He successfully defended each and every attack…except for one.
One bony hand stabbed his chest.
"Master Yoh!" yelled Amidamaru.
"Let me out!" begged Nyorai as she clutched the iron bars of the palace dungeon.
"No. The Prince Hao will talk with you," said the soldier guarding her.
She was near to tears. She shut her eyes. "You are afraid…"
"What?" asked the soldier.
"The darkness in your heart says that you are afraid your wife is being unfaithful to you," she continued. "You are suspicious of your wife wanting to come to the park every night, but you can't bring yourself to go after her and find out the truth, because you love her very much."
The soldier's face paled, and he looked around. "It's not true!" he hissed.
"Go on. Lie to yourself," she taunted. As she watched his face twist in dismay, she felt upset. She was long aware of her power to see the shadows of anyone's heart, but using it against them as a weapon…she had never did this before. In the first place, it was not this lowly soldier who wanted to detain her; he was only doing what he was being paid for. Guilt overwhelmed her. "I'm sorry," she said softly.
But it was too late; the soldier had lost consciousness due to too much emotions. She slowly reached for the prison keys, just as a figure entered the dungeon, clapping.
"Pretty impressive…for a girl," he said.
"Who are you?" she asked fearfully.
He stooped down to face her. "Now allow me to tell the darkness in your heart." He smiled maliciously. "You are in love with someone who doesn't know and understand your feelings. He always casts aside your feelings, and lately, he left you just to find another girl to make his wife. You are furious at him, but you can't hate him, because you are foolishly in love with him."
Her eyes widened. "Iie!"
"I was right." He stood up and looked at the soldier with disgust. "Your powers will come in handy when I dispose of these foolish humans."
"I will never join you!" she cried. "The darkness in your heart is too overwhelming! You are not human!"
He smiled genuinely. "Thank you for saying that." He crossed his arms. "Because I am beyond those imperfect creatures. And to make a perfect world, I must burn down to ashes this flawed world and restart existence anew." He started to leave. "You will serve me." With that, the door shut, leaving Nyorai stunned.
Yoh winced and took out the itako beads in his shirt. Some of its beads were broken due to the impact of the stab, but at least the bone didn't touch his body.
The itako beads protected me. He smiled at Anna's way. He suddenly remembered how she forced him to take the necklace along with him.
A reminder that you still have someone to return to.
He pocketed the beads again. "Amidamaru, we're taking Anna back now."
"Yes, Master Yoh!"
"Oversoul!!!"
The skeletons blocking his way were thrown far off, while Eliza's attempt to block him was futile. Soon, he was standing in front of the doctor.
"I'm taking Anna back," he said.
Faust clenched his fists, but then sighed resignedly. "Take her."
Yoh grinned. "Thank you." He put down his weapon, despite his spirit's protests. He carefully gathered Anna in his arms. "We're going home, Anna. Sorry I'm late."
Amidamaru was stunned by the turn of events. Why did the doctor give Anna up easily?
Faust watched as the two left with the samurai spirit. "Eliza…you could have lived already."
The nurse spirit smiled and cupped his face.
He nodded. "You don't want me to be sad. I'm so sorry, Eliza, but…" He sighed. "I understand. You don't want to be happy by taking someone else's happiness away."
She smiled and nodded.
"Yes. I must admire the boy's determination…and Anna's too. They must really care for each other, right?" he asked.
They both sweatdropped when they heard a boy's cry. "Ouuuuuuuuuchhhhh!!!"
"Yoh no baka!!!" screamed a girl. "You broke my beads!!!"
"M-Master Yoh! Ms. Anna!" cried the familiar samurai voice. "Ms. Anna, calm down!!! It was an accident!!!"
"Baka! Baka! Baka!" Her every word was accented with a slam on the head and a gasp from the boy.
"Yoh!!!" called Ren.
"Master Yoh!!!" shouted Ryu happily. "You're safe!"
"My wife!!!" cried Chocolove even more happily.
"Chini tai ne?" asked Anna, eyebrows arched at Chocolove.
Yoh's laugh echoed in the forest.
"I told you, we should have just stayed home and watched AXN," said Ryu. "Master Yoh can handle it."
"Bason, quit those jumping jacks!" snapped Ren. "It's unbecoming of a Tao power spirit!"
"I'll be doing the jumping jacks in advance. I'm sure you'll just lose the bet. At least I won't have a hard time doing those fifty thousand things you bet," explained the power spirit.
"I won't lose the bet," said Ren confidently.
Pirika dried her eyes with her hanky. "Thanks for telling me that, Manta."
The midget nodded.
"He's going to use me in a bet. I will make him pay dearly for making fun of me." She clenched her fists determinedly.
Tsuzuku
* chini tai ne? – Wanna die? ( a line from Anna in the PS 1 Shaman king game, Spirit of Shamans. Yes, that irritating, impossible round you must finish just to unlock Anna Kyouyama in the game)
-- As I promised, the omake translation of Mankin Goes to Commercials. I will reduce all my colorful Tagalog profanities into "Damn". Fair enough? ^^
Tamao in front of chibi Mankin characters.
Tamao: Let's see your pictures of animals with strong teeth...
Chibi Chocolove: *holds out a picture of Mic grinning at the camera* Tiger!!!
Everyone: Boo! That's not a tiger!
Chibi Chocolove: Oh yeah? So what? I love Mic and there is nothing you can do about it!
Little Yoh: *holds out a picture* Anna!!!
Small Anna: Damn you! Do I look like an animal, you beast?!!
Little Yoh: *points mindlessly to the picture* It's your fault anyway. You stole my previous assignment – the shark - so I improvised, since you kinda look like the lead star of Jaws anyway.
Small Anna: Damn you! When we get home, you'll get what you re looking for! *bares fangs as Little Yoh scrambles to hide...he knows that when Anna gets her hands on him, he will not live anymore long enough to see the next sunrise*
Everyone: O.O
Mini-Ren: Classmate Anna does look like it, in fairness.
Everyone: In fairness.
Tamao: *sweatdrops, then turns to Horo* Horo, why, that's me!
(everyone laughs)
Tiny Horo: That's because you brush ur teeth regularly with Koolgate™
Tamao: That's right, Horo. Imagine this is your tooth.
*a pearly shell appears*
Mini-Ren: Damn, that's not my tooth! That's too big!
Little Yoh: *muffled voice from the janitor's cabinet that the very, very furious Small Anna is forcing open* Maybe that's Anna's…
Small Anna: Idiot! Moron! Get out of that damn place! You don't act like a man!!! Let's square off!
Little Yoh: *squeaks* Please no, PLEASE NO!!!!
Tamao: *ahem* With Koolgate™, your teeth will remain fresh and white.
Mini-Ren: Ah hell, the fact remains that the tooth ain't mine. *shoves the pearly shell slide away*
Small Anna: What are you idiots looking at? It's not mine too, you cretins! Or do you want each of your 210 developing bones to get pulverized?!!
Little Yoh: *whimper* mine is 206 only. Anna destroyed four of those comprising my skeletal system. It's not a system anymore… it's already incomplete.
Small Anna: Get out of there, you coward! I want to get my hands on you already!
Little Yoh: No, please! Please no, have mercy!!! My bone bank is already bankrupt as it is!!!
Tamao: ahhh...class...with Koolgate™...
Everyone: No cavities! No teeth, no nothing!!
Narrator (Shilva) : Use Koolgate™. Approved by most dentists.
*Faust' grinning face appears*
Shilva: He's not my dentist, FYI